Large numbers were killed, injured or displaced. Two million people lost their livelihoods. Homes and communities were destroyed.

Nobel laureate Harold Pinter called NATO's aggression "barbaric (and despicable), another blatant and brutal assertion of US power using NATO as its missile (to consolidate) American domination of Europe."

Lawless aggression became humanitarian intervention. An avenue to Eurasia was opened. A permanent US military presence was established. American imperialism claimed another trophy.

In 2001, NATO intervened in Macedonia. Post-9/11, much more lay ahead. Iraq followed Afghanistan, then Libya, now Syria, ahead Iran, and numerous proxy wars against Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, and other challengers to US hegemony.

Syria was blamed for Turkey's provocation. False flags provide pretexts for wars, occupations, colonization, and plunder. Long ago, plans were readied to destroy Syria. They're playing out in real time.

Expect full-blown intervention. It's coming. On June 26, NATO members convened in Brussels. Military intervention was discussed.

Article 4 calls for members to "consult together whenever, in the opinion of any of them, the territorial integrity, political independence, or security of any" is threatened.

It's the second time it's been used since Turkey invoked it in February 2003 ahead of Washington's Iraq aggression.

Expect Article 5 to follow. Its only use to date was in October 2001 to attack and occupy Afghanistan. Doing so was lawless aggression. Security Council authorization wasn't forthcoming.

Congress didn't declare war. Under the Constitution's Article 1, Section 8, only Congress may declare war. It hasn't done so since December 8, 1941. Post-WW II, all US wars were illegal. So are ongoing ones and what's perhaps imminent.

On June 25, Ankara urged NATO members to invoke Article 5. It considers a real or false flag attack against one or more members an attack against all. In response, it calls for naked aggression disguised as collective self-defense.

Friday's incident "opened a new phase in Turkish-Syrian relations," he said. Assad "has become a clear and present danger to Turkey's security."

Washington wrote his lines. He delivered them publicly.

Turkish jets provocatively entered Syrian airspace. International law justified its response. Turkey's Hurriyet daily, state television, Reuters, and other news sources said wreckage was found in Syrian waters.

According to Erdogan, it was downed in international airspace but fell in Syrian territory. How he left unexplained. Instead he said:

"There are some circles both inside and outside Turkey who are trying to distort this fact."

Syria committed "a hostile act," he added. "The Syrian administration is tyrannical and not just. Turkey will be in solidarity with our brothers in Syria until a new regime is in place....We will offer all the possible support to liberate the Syrians from dictatorship."

Calling Syria a "clear and present danger," he barely stopped short of declaring war. So did NATO head Anders Fogh Rasmussen, saying:

"We consider (Syria's) act to be unacceptable and condemn it in the strongest terms."

"It is another example of the Syrian authorities' disregard for international norms, peace and security, and human life."

"Let me make this clear. The security of the alliance is indivisible. We stand together with Turkey in the spirit of strong solidarity."

Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc said all options are on the table. What happened can't go unpunished. "International law is on our side. Turkey will not hesitate to take steps to this end."

Kemal Kilicdaroglu, head of Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), wants diplomacy, not force, used. So do Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and Peace for Democracy Party (BDP) leaders.

MHP's Devlet Bahceli said Ankara shouldn't "fall into a trap of intervention in Syria. Some western countries have put pressure on Turkey for an intervention...."

He urged "appropriate steps for Turkey's national interests" be taken short of "instigat(ing) fresh conflict in the region."

Expect escalated confrontations to follow, then bombs away with or without Security Council authorization.

The pattern by now is familiar. When Washington wants war, it's coming. Only its timing is uncertain.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book is titled "How Wall Street Fleeces America: Privatized Banking, Government Collusion and Class War"

http://www.claritypress.com/Lendman.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network Thursdays at 10AM US Central time and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are archived for easy listening.

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